System Receives Grant to Publicize the Human Genome Project

Byline: Sarah Long

When you read or see media items about the Human Genome Project, do you wonder how these scientific breakthroughs will affect your life?

What information do you need to make informed decisions about some of the choices you might face? For instance, if you have a history of breast cancer in your family, do you want to be tested for the breast cancer gene, and what impact might the results have on your ability to get health insurance?

North Suburban Library System received a two-year grant from the Department of Energy to help publicize the Human Genome Project through public libraries.

The Department of Energy and the National Institutes of Health have worked in partnership since 1990 to map all the genes in the human genome.

Of the many public libraries that applied for the grant, 11 were chosen to participate - Barrington, Elgin, Elk Grove Village, Evanston, Highland Park, Lake Forest, Mount Prospect, Northbrook, Skokie, Waukegan and Winnetka/Northfield.

We held focus groups in these communities to learn what people know about the Human Genome Project, what they want to know and what their concerns are. …

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